Lost in the net

OK, I admit it. I've had a few distractions this week. We cranked out a commercial mailing and made a few bucks. Of course the old printer had to act up and I'm still investigating mechanical aspects of it. It used to be that I could start it up and walk away. Now, I babysit it while it whirs and ratchets. The ribbon no longer automatically reverse and this time it was occasionally getting off line count.

And then I decided to chop out a stump. Most folks would say let nature take her course. Last fall when I dropped the tree I dumped a bunch of powdered milk on it. That was supposed to help it decompose. It attracted squirrels; I think they ate the milk. So I decided to dig it out. I didn't calculate that a forty plus year old dogwood stump would be like an iceberg. It had lateral roots that were six inches in diameter and a main root about twenty inches in diameter. I used a pry bar to chisel through the laterals. I started with a Sawzall but was wearing out blades left and right. Dogwood roots encircle rocks and grit! I spent days. Yestrday after another four hour battle (or more) the laterals were chopped. The hole around the stump was about three feet deep . Finally I got an eight foor metal pry bar against it and after a struggle something popped. I was able to lever the stump up. Too heavy. Wouldn't you know. So I had to lever and fill, lever and fill until it approached the surface. Darn thing is about the size of a toilet. It is heavier. I know this for a fact. Finally the stump was rolled over to another location where it awaits the wheelbarrow fairy. The hole would make a damn fine fox hole for a dwarf army person. After the rains of Barry it is more like a small tub of muddy water.

And I've been sorting and filing old model railroad magazines. If I could only get the rest of my life so organized. I've got Model Railroader magazines from the issue that came in the mail yesterday back into 1939. That's a lot of paper that someone will recycle one day!

Looking at my project list I've got a garage/workshop that needs to be cleared out so I can seal the floor. And then there is the basement waiting to have the ceiling pulled, rewired for new lights and re sheetrocked, and a new floor. Of course that work drifts into the laundry area and quite honestly I'm waiting to see what I'm going to do with FIOS or digital cable. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

But this isn't a litany of my hours. Nope, last night while watching a television show I was stumbling in the background. I'm tempted to say that some folks just want to twist the tales of other folks based on some of the pictures they post. I just give them a thumbs down and stumble again.

Dis I mention that I cooked a Pad Thai meal Thursday night for ten. As one of the guests was finishing the last bit and mentioning how good it was it was revealed that "I have a slight allergy to peanuts but peanut butter is worse." Guess what was in my sauce. Yep! You got it. A mad scramble for Benadryl and then a wait and see! I was a bit miffed! I'd asked about food allergies! I can cook multiple meals! I was prepared to cook a meal similar but with missing ingredients! TELL ME.

Everything turned out OK. I'm happy to say. No wonder I tackle stumps in my old age. Got to do something with my pent up stress!

G